http://www.mikelentzphotography.com/ Mike Lentz | Lentz Mike Credit Eastern Meadowlark Minnesota Conservation Plan Audubon Minnesota Spring 2014 The Blueprint for Minnesota Bird Conservation is a project of Audubon Minnesota written by Lee A. Pfannmuller ([email protected]) and funded by the Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund. For further information please contact Mark Martell at [email protected] (651-739-9332). Table of Contents Executive Summary ...................................................................................................................................... 5 Introduction ................................................................................................................................................... 6 Background ................................................................................................................................................... 6 Status ......................................................................................................................................................... 6 Legal Status ........................................................................................................................................... 6 Other Status Classifications .................................................................................................................. 6 Range ........................................................................................................................................................ 7 Historical Breeding Range .................................................................................................................... 7 Current Distribution .............................................................................................................................. 7 Summary of Presence on Minnesota Important Bird Areas .................................................................. 7 Eastern Meadowlarks and Western Meadowlarks: Identification Challenges .......................................... 9 Population Numbers ................................................................................................................................ 11 National ............................................................................................................................................... 11 Regional .............................................................................................................................................. 12 Minnesota ............................................................................................................................................ 13 Population Trends ................................................................................................................................... 13 National Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) Data ....................................................................................... 13 Regional BBS Data ............................................................................................................................. 14 Minnesota BBS Data ........................................................................................................................... 14 Life History Characteristics Relevant to Recovery ................................................................................. 14 Migration............................................................................................................................................. 14 Climate Change Vulnerability ............................................................................................................ 14 Home Range and Territoriality ........................................................................................................... 14 Age at First Reproduction ................................................................................................................... 14 Nesting Dates ...................................................................................................................................... 14 Clutch Size .......................................................................................................................................... 14 Longevity of Adults ............................................................................................................................ 15 Food .................................................................................................................................................... 15 Habitat Requirements and Limiting Factors related to Habitat .............................................................. 15 Habitat Categorization ........................................................................................................................ 15 Limiting Factors during the Breeding Season ..................................................................................... 15 Area Sensitivity ................................................................................................................................... 15 General Habitat Descriptions .............................................................................................................. 15 Threats .................................................................................................................................................... 16 Best Management Practices .................................................................................................................... 17 Page 2 of 35 | Audubon Minnesota Gaps in Knowledge ................................................................................................................................. 19 MINNESOTA CONSERVATION PLAN .................................................................................................. 20 Conservation Goal .................................................................................................................................. 20 Background ......................................................................................................................................... 20 Conservation Objective ........................................................................................................................... 20 Background ......................................................................................................................................... 20 Actions Needed for Conservation ........................................................................................................... 20 Inventory and Assessment Needs ....................................................................................................... 20 Monitoring Needs ............................................................................................................................... 23 Research Needs ................................................................................................................................... 23 Habitat Protection Needs .................................................................................................................... 23 Habitat Restoration and Management Needs ...................................................................................... 27 Specific Actions for Audubon Minnesota ........................................................................................... 29 Selected Resources for Eastern Meadowlark Minnesota Conservation Plan .......................................... 32 Tables Table 1. Audubon Minnesota’s Important Bird Areas with Breeding Eastern Meadowlarks ..................... 7 Table 2. Priority Rankings for both Eastern and Western Meadowlarks in Minnesota’s Ecological Regions ........................................................................................................................................ 10 Table 3. Adjustment Factors used for the Grasshopper Sparrow Population Estimate ............................. 12 Table 4. Eastern Meadowlark Regional Population Trends ....................................................................... 14 Table 5. Minnesota IBAs in the Prairie Hardwood Transition Region where Eastern Meadowlark breeding is likely and needs further assessment .......................................................................... 21 Table 6. Prairie and Grassland Protection Goals for protecting Eastern Meadowlarks in Minnesota ....... 24 Table 7. Complete Prairie and Grassland Protection Goals from Minnesota’s Prairie Landscape Conservation Plan ....................................................................................................................... 27 Table 8. Grassland Restoration Goals for protecting Grasshopper Sparrows in Minnesota ...................... 28 Table 9. Eastern Meadowlark Minnesota Conservation Blueprint Action Summary ................................ 30 Page 3 of 35 | Audubon Minnesota Figures Figure 1. Eastern Meadowlark Distribution Maps ....................................................................................... 8 Figure 2. Distribution of Western and Eastern Meadowlarks in Minnesota ................................................ 9 Figure 3. Relative Abundance of the Eastern Meadowlark in North America, 2006-2012. ...................... 12 Figure 4. Breeding Bird Survey Trend Map for the Eastern Meadowlark, 1966-2012. ............................ 13 Figure 5. Predicted Grassland Bird Conservation Areas in